Scientific capacity building in Africa

This project brings together a series of commissioned pieces of work with on-going academic study of what it means to build scientific capacity in Africa and the implications of this for innovation and health goals set by governments, funders and research institutes. In addition, working with our partner in Kenya, the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), we have developed training materials for policy makers to support science, technology and innovation activity generally and specifically in relation to improving public health. Open access materials on technology policy and innovation research are available from the Open University's OpenLearn Labspace website: An introduction to technology and innovation policy research.

Current commissioned sub-project

Funded by the Wellcome Trust (in collaboration with RAND Europe and the African Centre for Technology Studies) members of IKD are collaborating to evaluate and support learning and exchange activities of the African Institutions Initiative. Visit the African Institutions Initiative website which enhances networking within the Initiative.

Publications

Adwara, A., Hanlin, R. and Johnson, H.E. "Technology policy and innovation research: time for an integrated and inclusive pedagogy for a national system of innovation"

Marjanovic, S., Hanlin, R., Diepeveen, S. and Chataway, J.C. "Research capacity building in Africa: networks, institutions and local ownership" Journal of International Development (submitted)

Mugwagwa, Julius; Hanlin, Rebecca; Iluyemi, Adesina; Chataway, Jo; Wield, David and Smith, James (2010). Systems of health innovation in Africa: policy lessons from home and abroad. In: Second Science with Africa Conference, 23-25 June 2010, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Chataway, J.; Chaturvedi, K.; Hanlin, R.; Mugwagwa, J.; Wield, D. and Smith, J. (2009). Technological trends and opportunities to combat diseases of the poor in Africa. In: Kalua, Fetson; Awotedu, Abolade; Kamwanja, Leonard and Saka, John eds. Science, Technology and Innovation for Public Health in Africa. Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.: NEPAD Office of Science and Technology, pp. 53-93.

Chataway, Joanna; Chaturvedi, Kalpana; Hanlin, Rebecca; Mugwagwa, Julius; Smith, James and Wield, David (2009). Building the case for systems of health innovation in Africa. In: Kalua, Fetson; Awotedu, Abolade; Kamwanja, Leonard and Saka, John eds. Science, Technology and Innovation for Public Health in Africa. Pretoria, Republic of South Africa: NEPAD Office of Science and Technology, pp. 7-52.